Nestlé Report Sets Out Commitments on Society and Sustainabilitity

14 Mar 2013 --- Nestlé has published a set of forward-looking commitments to society and on environment sustainability it aims to meet by 2020 or earlier.

The company has identified 30 goals in the areas of nutrition, water, rural development, sustainability and compliance in its new report, ‘Nestlé in Society: Creating Shared Value and meeting our commitments 2012’.

The time-bound targets reflect Nestlé’s ambitions to work collectively with other stakeholders to help address the global food and water crisis, and the specific nutritional challenges posed by malnutrition, including micronutrient deficiencies.
Tangible and achievable

“We are announcing a set of forward-looking, measurable commitments to society and on environmental sustainability,” said Nestlé Chief Executive Officer Paul Bulcke.

“Our focus on these areas is not new. We have been measuring our performance and reporting on our progress for many years. What is new is that we are sharing the commitments we have made externally.

“We believe that by setting ourselves tangible, short-term goals for which we can be held accountable, rather than long-term aspirations, we can really make an impact.

“We have already achieved a lot,” he continued. “But we recognise there is always more to do. We have a good track record on meeting short-term targets around certain aspects of our environmental performance, and I am confident we can build on this.”

Some of the key goals Nestlé aims to achieve before or by 2020 include:

• providing 200 billion servings of micronutrient fortified products worldwide by 2016, with a special focus on children and women of childbearing age;
• ensuring all relevant products worldwide have guideline daily amount (GDA) labelling on front of pack by 2016;
• ensuring all children’s products meet the Nestlé Nutritional Foundation criteria for children by 2014;
• providing portion guidance on all children’s and family products by 2015;
• reducing direct water withdrawal per tonne of product by 40% compared to 2005, by 2015;
• achieving 100% certified responsibly sourced, sustainable palm oil by the end of 2013, two years ahead of its initial public commitment;
• reducing direct greenhouse gas emissions per tonne of product by 35% compared to 2005, by 2015.

Mr Bulcke emphasised that the nutrition and environment challenges the world faces require concerted, collective action from governments, business, non-governmental organisations and other stakeholders, rather than sporadic, isolated projects.

“At Nestlé we recognise that our position in society brings not only opportunities, but also responsibilities,” he said.

“We can play a valuable leadership role in support of concerted action. We have the capacity, and more importantly, the determination to do so.

“We fundamentally believe our company can only be successful over time if we also create value for society. This means doing business in compliance with national laws, international standards and our own corporate business principles, and in ways that help protect the environment for future generations.

“This is how we have been doing business for almost 150 years. This is what we mean when we talk about creating shared value.”